The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-16
IN THE SENATE.
-a.--
Adjournment Taken Until Monday.
A Marble Bust OF Garibaldi offered
the United States.
-
A Bill to Prohibit Receivers from
Borrowing Money.
Protection of Employees Engaged
in Interstate Commerce.
Mr. plumb's Resolution in Regard 20
Mr. plumb's Resolution In Regard 20
Prof swenson's Sugar Manufact-
uring Patents Taken Up and Re
ferred-Coin Certificates.

WASHINGTON, Dec, l5.-Among the
pap.rs laid before the Senate was com
munication from Italian residents OF Wash
ington proposing 10 present to the United
tatcsamarhlc bust ol Garibaldi rs "a link
in the chain Of sympathy which all ircc-
men feel for the champions OF liberty and
republican government" Referred To the
committee on library
Bills wcc introduced and referred as fol.
lows
by Mr.. Call. To prohibit United States
judges and courts from authorizing the Dor.
rowing of money by receivers oi railroad
and other operations beyond the amount
Of their annual net incomes; also, 10 pro-
hibit the appointment OF such receivers
without evidence oi the financial condition
Of the company. lie moved their refer
encc tO the committee ON Interstate com
mcrcc. Mr. Edmunds moved their refer.
encc 10 the Judiciary committee. Mr..
Call opposed that reference on the ground
that like bills had been before the commit
tee last Congress and had received no at-
| tcntiOn. His opinion was that no relief
| would he Afforded a. the people by the
| judiciary committee in the consideration
| of bills ol such character. MIR Edmunls
confessed that the Judiciary committccwns
| not very much inclined tu interfere with
| tho CNcrCise ot discretion by the courts.
| lie Withdrew his amendment. Tho bills
werv therupun referred 70 the committee
on interstate commerce.
| By Mr.. George: 10 protect employees and
servants engaged in Interstate commerce,
and in the Territories and District OF Co.
lumhia.
The resolution offered some DAYS ago hy
Mr.. Plumb was taken up directing the AZ
| tomcy-GcnCal to investigate the issue Of
| a patent Ia Magnus SWrnson, last October,
IN connection with the manufacture oi
sugar and sorghum, and II Invalid, to
commence suit 10 have the patent cancelled.
! The point being that Mr.. Swcnson was an
cmployc ol the agricultural department
| wllc making the experiments ont Oi
which the patent rCsutcd) Mr.. Plumb
hoped that the resolution would be-
adopted. rs The question involved was n
very Important one. The resolution, be
said, did not imply ccnsurc on the rum.
missioner of agriculture who hai hoDn
very Jealous and active Ia all matters re-
lnting To the development Of the sorghum
sugar industry.
Mr. Elmunds suggested that there were
two difficulties in the way Oi the p'sniu.
ton. One was that this was thc iir.i time,
or one ol the first times, that the senate
had called upon the head oi q department
to 10 anything uilirmltNcly In pglri to
| any part of the public business. In aumC
| eases the SECRETARY ul the Interior had
been requested Ia suspend some action
| pending action on the subject hy Congress.
| Questions Of law were committed 10 The
| Attorney General while acting under the
! dir.tion gl the President Another Tor.
! midublo difficulty WIS mot IN hig own
mind but IN the minds of some judges
| whether the Attorney General had rivht
| 81 bring suit to inyallltc patent unless
] by authority OF Congress. lilo thought
! HAT the resolution should hc riCrr,d Ia
! the committee ou patents, nnd De- made
| that motion. After further DISCUSSION by
| Mr-sts. Plumb, Salisbury, RiddlcbcufIr,
| Call. lluar, Gray, Butler, Teller Georgr,
| llawlcy, Beck and sherman, the motion
Ia refer was rejected aud the resolution
adopted. II pad-:
"Br,olIcl, That the Attorney General
I b. rrgul sicd to investigate the i,fulurr ul
! letters patent to Mngnus SwrnsOu, ui date
October No. 1887, aud IL, in his judgment,
! the same is invalid on any ground, ~ Wns
| procured by reason Of Information ob.
| tanned from experiments mldr by The GOV.
cnmcnl, and II, in his judgment, u suit
| can be- maintained In the uaue oi the
! United States. to commence such suit
! promptly Ia have the mmU cancelled ar
the use oi the same by said Swcnson. ur
| any one claiming under him, pCTpriually
| cnjoinrd."
Mr. Batter offered resolution, which
I WIS adopted directing the judiciary COM
/ mittcC Ia inquire aud rrpDn whether, in
| the present state Of the law, the govern
mcnt has the power, or the Attorney Cen
! crl Of the United states tho authority to
] institute Judicial proceedings tO yucatc q
! patent for an invention, ON amy ground
| whatever
The Senate then took up the bill intro.
| duccd by Mr. Stewart, last Monday, to
/ provide lpf thc issue Ot coin certificates tD
| circulate a8 money, and WIS addressed by
! that senator In explanation and support 0i
! the bill.
The purpose ~ tho bill IL a. allow the
/ deposit NJ amy mint or assay office pl gpii
| and silver bullion, In quantities Oi not lees
| than five ounces oi gold, or eighty ounces
| oi silver, aud the receipts therefor Of coin
certificates, which arc 10 bc q legal tcndor;
10 have the existing gold and silver ccnih.
Gates Cancelled when received at The treas.
ury; Ia have no gold coined hereafter, ok
ccpt ~ necessary 10 redeem obligations cN-
| prcssly payable In COIN 10 have the bull
! lon received under this act melted into
barg aud deposited Ia the treasury, and 10
| repeal the act Of the 2Sth of February,
| 1873, requiring the coinage Of 10000 sil.
! yor dollars monthly.
Referring 10 the dcmonc,izaiion Of silver
by Congress In 1873, Mr. Stewart said that
that act was done ~ secretly that even the
| President Of the United States was ignO-
rant Of Il two ycan ailcrward, when he
sent q special message 10 Congress recon.
mcnding the opening oi new mints 10
| coin silver dollars, ~ ms 10 be- able 10 carry
/ out the law 10 resume specie payments,
and, oi course, when the President WIS
ignorant oi IL, the Secretary Of Treasury,
who must have sent the special message,
must also have been ignorant Of Il, and
Congrpss itself was ignorant oi H. II sil-
yer, hc said, were made yaluolcs, through
being no longer used ~ money, its produc.
tion would cease and the failure TO work
silver mines would result IN diminishing